Harlan Coben’s “Shelter Season 1 Review” Episode 8: Remains A Good Mix of Engaging Mystery
Cast: Jaden Michael, Mickey Bolitar, Constance Zimmer, Shira Bolitar, Abby Corrigan, Ema Winslow, Sage Linder, Rachel Caldwell, Adrian Greensmith
Created By: Allen MacDonald
Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 3.5/5 (four stars) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Shelter Season 1 finally ended after 8 episodes of a young adult series based on the trilogy of mystery novels by writer Harlan Coben, with the eighth and final episode uploaded yesterday on Prime Video. A series, centered on the vicissitudes of sixteen-year-old Mickey Bolitar, which carries the weight of a full-bodied and intricate narrative material but which, thanks to the presence of the author himself as showrunner, manages to square the circle in a satisfying and dignified way, keeping intact the intentions and atmospheres of the novel and the mystery that underlies it. A mystery which certainly, in its progressive unveiling, partly scales down expectations, placing itself in a more conventional context (so to speak) compared to the premises and true or presumed references (Stranger Things first and foremost), but which in any case remains consistent with the saga of novels which inspired it.
The result is thus a series that confirms itself as a valuable young adult product, keeping the tension high while often diluting it into teen drama dynamics. An ideal mix that works on multiple levels, the true strength of a story that is not always as engaging as one would like but original and structured enough to guarantee good entertainment. Harlan Coben, for those who don’t know, is an American writer of over sixty million copies, translated into over forty languages , and the only winner, so far, of the three most prestigious literary awards related to the mystery genre: Edgard Awards, Shamus Award, and Anthony Award. It is no coincidence that Amazon Studios and Netflix are competing for it for millions. The writer is currently under contract with the Los Gatos House, which has decided to develop fourteen of his novels.
Shelter Season 1 Review: The Story Plot
The story takes place in New Jersey. Mickey (Jaden Michael), a promising young basketball player, survived a car accident in which her father lost his life. The last images the boy sees before losing consciousness are those of a nurse with a disturbing scar on his face who, while picking up his dying father, smiles evilly at him. A few months later the boy lives with his aunt (Constance Zimmer), his father’s sister, who doesn’t have the slightest maternal instinct but has to take care of her nephew because her brother asked her to in a phone call a few hours before dying, as if already knew the unfortunate fate he would face. Mickey starts school, the classic high school, and is loved at first sight by Ashley (Samantha Bugliaro), an aspiring cheerleader who disappears from circulation in the blink of an eye. The boy asks adults for help, but no one seems to be available to help him.
So, he decides to investigate with the help of two new friends, Spoon (Adrian Greensmith) and Ema (Abby Corrigan), the former a nerd and the latter an antisocial gothic. The three, after uniting in an old-time friendship, will throw their hearts beyond the obstacle and begin investigations on their own, discovering sordid traffic, which even began in Europe during World War II, which they will have to put an end to at any cost. Does Mickey Bolitar (Jaden Michael) have hero syndrome, as those around him say, or is he rather predestined? What is certain is that, since he moved to Kasselton, New Jersey, following the tragic death of his parents, trouble seems to haunt him, starting with the mysterious disappearance of freshman Ashley and the strange encounters with characters linked to his father’s past.
It is precisely one of these, the old “Bat Lady” (Tovah Feldshuh), who catapults Mickey into the middle of a dark and intricate plot made up of kidnapped children, stories about the Holocaust, and a family past full of shadows and secrets. The ideal context, in short, for the investigations of Mickey and his new friends – the outsiders Spoon (Adrian Greensmith) and Ema (Abby Corrigan) and the cheerleader Rachel (Sage Linder) – to shed light on a decidedly complex affair, among false leads, supernatural suggestions, and skeletons in many, too many closets. A real detective story is that of this group of young budding investigators, who will put their own lives at risk, forcing them to look into a private and collective past that should have remained buried.
Shelter Season 1 Review and Analysis
Shelter is a crime thriller enriched by some horror references. The fact that the protagonists are three teenagers also makes it a teen drama in all respects. As such it has all those typical characteristics: adults incapable of listening to teenagers incapable of explaining themselves, dysfunctional families convinced they can appear in Mulino Bianco advertisements, loves that are born and die in the space of an instant, secrets and lies, misunderstandings and betrayals. And, naturally, a very great and very strong sense of friendship, of those who would do anything for you, even die. Starting from these considerations, for the first three episodes the story proceeds rather quickly, proving interesting and pleasant, even exciting. The cards that the authors offer the viewer are such as to entice him to continue watching. Thus, episode after episode, while the plot thickens, the main enigma rises also thanks to small but effective twists, some of which are even intriguing.
At a certain point, however, something goes wrong. The elements brought into play by the authors are starting to be too many and show a certain fragility, causing the entire structure of the series to oscillate. And what could have been an interesting, fun season, useful for passing the time without too much thought, ends, for example, with one of the most popular endings of recent years. So obvious that it makes the viewer burst into amused, almost incredulous laughter. And that’s a shame. Seriously. Because Shelter is certainly not a masterpiece nor the most beautiful series, we will see in 2023. It is, however, a pleasant product to watch, which never lapses into excessive generational conflict, capable of tackling topics already seen and reviewed such as mourning, love, and friendship from an interesting point of view. However, it has the flaw of wanting to put too many irons in the fire, condemning itself, irremediably, to oblivion. Despite, for example, the performances of almost all of its actors, especially those occupying adolescent roles.
Who, starting from the trio of investigators and ending with the classic school bullies, are all good, capable of transmitting even strong emotions but above all they are credible because they are concrete, almost palpable, not entangled in useless molasses despite, in fact, playing rather obvious roles. Even the actors who play the adults, who are assigned roles that are perhaps a little too stereotyped, are good at characterizing their characters, managing to give them meaning despite their lack of stage presence and the lack of relevance to the story. They are a little disconnected from the overall narrative, appearing useful only to get the kids out of trouble when necessary. Nonetheless, they carry on with their lives, revolutionizing them because of a past that seems to be part of the global narrative but in reality, is not.
With a little more attention to detail, a few fewer characters, greater attention to subplots, and a little less repetition, this first season would have been successful, making the viewer forget about the many paradoxical situations. Precisely these situations at the limit of believability, which become more and more frequent throughout the eight episodes, tend to get bigger and create a comic line that makes no sense of existing (despite the character of Spoon having, in itself, a brilliant and funny verve) weakening the narrative structure. Instead, if we take it too seriously as often happens today, we are left with a sense of incompleteness and dissatisfaction that makes us turn our noses a bit, giving the impression of having wasted time looking at it. In any case, the final plot twist and some details scattered here and there foreshadow an upcoming second season which, we hope, will be able to fix those details that worked less well, making Harlan Coben’s Shelter a refined product for not only a young audience.
It is precisely the soul of a classic teen drama that makes Shelter an easy-to-use product, although the risk of falling into the stereotype and clichés of the genre remains strong and not always avoided completely (the decidedly weak and accessory stories of bully and the popular girl, for example). But, at the same time, the sometimes almost unnatural prolongation of the mystery seems to betray the series’ indecision about what it will be, uncertain whether it is still worth it for the public to visit and dissect its now-revealed world or move on to something else. A significant problem, that will certainly weigh on the decision whether or not to also adapt the other novels in the saga and, therefore, whether to renew the series for a new season. What is certain is that taken for what they are, these eight episodes of Shelter, steeped in mystery, adolescent (and non-adolescent) love and friendship do not disappoint expectations too much, presenting us with a coherent, interesting, and evocative universe at the right level.
Shelter Season 1 Review: The Last Words
Overall, Shelter Season 1 is a well-made mystery thriller with a strong cast and a compelling mystery. However, some viewers may find the series to be too melodramatic or convoluted. Whether or not you enjoy Shelter Season 1 will likely depend on your personal taste. If you are a fan of Harlan Coben’s work, or if you enjoy mystery thrillers with strong casts and engaging mysteries, then you are likely to enjoy Shelter. However, if you are looking for a more grounded or realistic thriller, then you may want to look elsewhere.
Harlan Coben's "Shelter Season 1 Review" Episode 8: Remains A Good Mix of Engaging Mystery - Filmyhype
Director: Allen MacDonald
Date Created: 2023-09-21 13:31
3.5
Pros
- Shelter remains a good mix of mystery and teen drama, engaging and enjoyable
- In addition to a well-structured thriller soul, it makes use of interesting characters and (some) good acting performances
Cons
- The protagonist, thanks to Jaden Michael's unconvincing acting, is not among the most memorable characters
- The unraveling of the mystery at the center of the series risks not living up to initial expectations
